It’s official. CBD products, including CBD oil, is now legal and will soon be regularly featured on Cincinnati store shelves.

In July, the Ohio General Assembly passed Senate Bill 57 decriminalizing hemp and CBD products — effectively legalizing the growth, harvesting, and sale of such products in the state of Ohio.

Under the 2018 Federal Farm Bill passed last December, the federal government effectively opened the door on legal hemp and CBD cultivation — separating hemp and CBD products that met federal THC minimum mandates from the marijuana plant. The new law allows it to be legally cultivated and sold under federal guidelines.

The catch is the federal bill largely left it up to states — whose laws and standards can differ across the board. Ohio was one of the few states without a program. Prior to Senate Bill 57, Ohio lumped hemp and CBD products in with marijuana drug laws. CBD was legally available only under Ohio’s medical marijuana program — meaning you must be a medical marijuana patient with a medical marijuana card and authorized doctor recommendation to legally partake.

CBD Market Gets the Green Light

Companies like ZuRI, A CBD Supply Co. in Lorain County, had effectively been sitting on their hands with orders to fill — waiting on the Ohio legislature. Now the door is wide open.

“In Ohio, I would probably say 70 to 80 [retailers] right off the bat, and that doesn’t include us now going out and really marketing to Ohio,” Scott Raybuck, ZuRI’s president and CEO told Channel 5 News. “So it was a substantial number of retailers that we’ll be fulfilling orders over the next couple of weeks here for them.”

State Testing Required

Of course, to meet Ohio’s mandated guidelines, all CBD oil and products must meet the requirement of containing less than 0.3 percent THC. This requires extensive testing.

“We go through an arduous process to test every single CBD product that we produce,” Raybuck said. “So before we buy the CBD from our certified agricultural department partner in Colorado, they send us what’s called a certificate of analysis, which is a third-party independent lab sample, so we first look at that. After we approve of that, we then get the product shipped to us. We then send another sample out to a different independent lab to make sure that the CBD content is what it states it is and then the THC levels are below that 0.3 percent legal.”

A New Market, a Wider Audience

By removing CBD oil and products from the same classification of marijuana outside of Ohio medical marijuana program, it opens up the market to a wider audience.

“I think this removes the stigma that what we sell is medical marijuana,’’ Dave Arend, owner of Your CBD Store in Anderson Township, told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “It’s not, and we definitely anticipate a lot more customers who want the benefit of CBD without the high of medical marijuana.’’

The new law does require farmers to be licensed by the state of Ohio to grow hemp and CBD products. Lawmakers claimed they would not put a limit on the number of licenses.

Why You Should Still Consider an Ohio Medical Marijuana Card

What does the new law mean for medical marijuana patients in Ohio? Technically, you no longer need an Ohio medical marijuana card to use CBD products that meet the minimum THC standards. However, research shows that CBD oil and medical marijuana that are not so restrictive on THC can be beneficial for a host of ailments. Medical marijuana is still worth considering, including CBD oil and strains more focused on CBD effects, to treat many conditions.

If you are curious if you qualify for a medical marijuana card, give us a call. Dr. Blatman is one of a select number of physicians in Ohio authorized to make medical marijuana recommendations in Cincinnati and the state of Ohio.

Patient Testimonials

I really hope this helps change and save someones life. I was extremely MISERABLE for over 5 years before finding and being treated by Dr. Blatman. I tried 3-Chiropractors, 3- Physical Therapists, and 4- Neurosurgeons. Eventually I was physically unable to do anything and spent numerous hours laying down. FYI, I’m in my 40’s so I refused a handicap parking pass and heavy addictive pain pills. Those were the options consistently pushed upon me by the above experts. A customer saw my struggles and referred me to Dr. Blatman. It sounded too simple to be true. However, he SAVED my life with minimum visits and costs. I now vacation, play tennis, racquetball, and ride ATVs. Truly AMAZING!!

George Triantafilou

I visited Dr. Blatman to receive relief from a strained groin, and recurrent calf pain due to an injury a year ago. After two visits where Dr. Blatman performed the trigger point injection technique, both problems have been resolved and I have been able to resume all activities including playing tennis 3 times a week. I would highly recommend Dr. Blatman and his associates.

Chris Uhlhorn

As an author of one of the early texts on Evidence-Based Medicine I know the power and peril of anecdote. That said I arrived to present at a conference with a painfully familiar recurrence lower back pain, bracing myself for days if not weeks of symptoms to come. Hal kindly offered to diagnose and provide some hands on treatment. Within 10 minutes I felt 50% better and by morning I was 80% better and could put my socks on again. Within a week I was completely pain free. While this is by no means scientific evidence I could not help but feel awe inspired by Hal and his care.

Daniel Friedman, MD

Chronic Fatigue was my diagnosis in 2005. How do you treat Chronic Fatigue? Well, there is no magic pill or cure. So I suffered for almost 2 years. I did not find a magic pill but I did find Blatman Pain Clinic. I was cautious about many of his recommendations but I have found out the hard way to follow his advise. My energy level is back to normal. I can keep up with my hectic job and 2 teenage children. I am a single parent and they count on me! Thank You Dr. Blatman!

KG

The key to relieving chronic pain, especially fibromyalgia and myofascial pain, requires identification and treatment of perpetuating factors. This must be done on a patient-by-patient basis, due to the variables these conditions present. Dr. Blatman provides this total patient care.

Devin Starlanyl

When I first went to Dr. Blatman two years ago, I was spending 1-3 days a week in bed with severe neck pain, headaches and nausea. I had had migraines for 40 years and been to countless doctors, but did not receive any help. I had also developed chronic myofascial pain in my neck. Now, two years later, I have not been bed ridden with a sick pain event in my neck or head once, and I have a life again, thanks to Dr. Blatman's expert knowledge, thoughtful help and perseverance.

Wendy Andrews

After suffering with widespread pain for two years, I was told it was all in my head and that nothing could be done for my condition as nothing appeared on an x-ray or MRI. After joining a fibromyalgia support group, I was referred to Dr. Blatman. I found [it] to be very calm[ing] and reassuring that my pain was real. We discussed medication, therapies exercise and diet changes and Dr. Blatman literally walked with me in reclaiming my life.

Sylvia Link

I was in pain daily and forced to limit my exercise. This was a real blow to me because exercise had always been a part of my life. I tried anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy, but nothing worked. I was afraid I was going to have to live the rest of my life like this. That’s when I was introduced to Dr. Blatman’s philosophies. By implementing his ideas of wellness into my life and selective trigger point injections, I’m happy to say that I am now happy, healthy and pain free.

Teri Boynton

Like so many people who suffer with chronic headaches, I had gotten only partial relief from traditional medicine. Dr. Blatman understands the impact of headache pain. His emphasis on multiple techniques made a big difference for me.

Chris Modrall

Within ten days, my groin muscle pain was gone and the elbow tendonitis pain resolved in a slightly longer time. Both problems have gone away with no recurrence.

Alan Rosenberg

I don’t have a lot of time to get better when my back hurts. Bad backs are an occupational hazard in dentistry. Treatment with Dr. Blatman gets me out of pain, back to work and back on the golf course with a minimal amount of down time. Having this treatment available has been an indispensable part of my life in terms of doing the things I need and love to do.

Dr. Richard Wolterman

Since beginning treatment with Dr. Blatman, I have lost lost 30 pounds and gone from being unable to walk without help, to a career singing and dancing at retirement communities, sometimes up to four hours a day.

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Natural Treatment Recommendations from a Fibromyalgia Doctor

If you suffer from fibromyalgia, there are a number of natural treatments a health and wellness doctor may recommend to help you live as full a life as possible. Yoga, for example, can be highly beneficial in treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia. In a number of studies, women who practiced yoga report less pain. Meditation may also be helpful in promoting brain health that can in turn better process the pain associated with fibromyalgia. We also recommend 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) — a natural amino acid that helps the body produce serotonin. This can help relieve pain, fatigue, anxiety, and morning stiffness. Acupuncture can also be helpful at improving pain and stiffness, as well as encouraging movement. We also recommend therapeutic massage, Tai Chi, and regular exercise.